MsCharlotte's Stuff: Christmas

Chapter 6: Four Gifts

The Sopchoppy River cascaded through dark and fearful channels far beneath the earth. Claus lay flat on his stomach and clutched the sides of the matchstick raft.

The gushing waters surged around him and he thought every moment would surely be his last. But Patrick Tweedleknees, with only his firefly flashlight to see by, calmly poked the raft through the rolling flood with a long-handled broom.

At last the waters calmed and Claus dared to open his eyes. He saw a blue-lighted cavern ahead. The river flowed gently into the cave and Tweedleknees, leaping ashore, shouted, "This is Elfland!"

Claus staggered off the raft. He was greeted by hundreds of elves. They shouted, "It's a giant! Tweedleknees has brought a giant!"

Tweedleknees explained crossly that Claus was not a giant but a perfectly ordinary man who meant to destroy the pigwidgen who had cursed all the children and elves of the land.

The elves gazed at Claus in awe. "How brave he is!" they murmured. "How strong!"

"And I," said Tweedleknees jealously, "I am going to help him."

"We'll all help!" shouted the elves. "We'll give you the weapons to slay the Pidwidgen!"

They rushed off to the work benches that filled the cavern. They set to work hammering and sawing and bolting and whittling and, all the time, singing at the top of their squeaky lungs.

"What are they making?" shouted Claus above the noise.

"Who knows?" replied Tweedleknees. "Elves can make anything."

"I like to make toys," said Claus modestly.

"Elves make toys, too," said Tweedleknees. "In fact, it's their favorite thing."

Tweedleknees showed Claus to a huge storeroom filled with tricycles and hobby horses and wagons and dolls and fire engines and a hundred other toys.

"What do you do with them?" cried Claus admiringly.

Tweedleknees shrugged. "Store them here. It's a hobby. It keeps us busy."

"But think how children would enjoy them!" said Claus.

"Children are everywhere," reminded Tweedleknees. "Elves are here and cannot leave."

A gray-haired, spectacled elf tugged at Claus' sleeve. "We're finished now," he said. "See what we have made." The elves gathered around and the old elf gave Claus four wonderous gifts.

First, a bow and an arrow which would always find its mark.

Second, a ring. When twisted three times it would cause a creature to change its shape.

Third, a mouthharp, the sound of which could charm the fiercest foe.

And finally, a dagger whose point had been dipped in a deadly poison.

Claus' heart pounded with excitement. With such weapons as these he could surely destroy the wicked Pigwidgen.

But the old elf warned: "There's one thing you must remember. The magic of each gift will work but once. Therefore, use with care."